Quantum Resource Theories

对于任何一种给定的资源，都需要一个理论来回答基本的问题，例如：哪些资源集合可以转换为哪些其他资源，以及如何实现给定的转换？化学符合这种模式，因为它回答了如何将大量可用的化学物质转化为其他更有用的产品的问题。 热力学是另一个例子，因为它回答了各种各样的非平衡状态--热的、机械的、化学的等等--如何转换成其他状态的问题，例如，如何从一对不同温度的热浴中提取有用功。

For any given kind of resource, one needs a theory to answer basic questions such as: which collections of resources can be converted into which others, and what are the ways in which a given conversion can be accomplished? Chemistry fits this mold, as it answers the question of how collections of chemicals available in abundance can be converted to other, more useful, products. Thermodynamics is another example, as it answers questions about how various sorts of non-equilibrium states—thermal, mechanical, chemical, etcetera—can be converted into others, for instance, how useful work can be extracted from a pair of heat baths at different temperatures.